| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Domaine de Chevalier
A beautifully elegant and complex wine, with subtle notions of citrus, honeysuckle and tropical fruits, this medium-bodied, fresh, super-pure 2012 from Domaine de Chevalier should drink well for 30 or more years. The color is light straw with a greenish hue to it. Drink 2015-2025.
Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting. The 2012 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has an intriguing marine influence nose that nods towards Muscadet - well defined with white flower and chalky scents following suit. The palate is fresh and vibrant, well balanced and quite rounded in the mouth, easing down with a chalky, more linear finish. I suspect this has gone into its shell, ergo my parsimonious score vis-a-vis out of barrel, but in my experience, Domaine de Chevalier rewards long-term bottle age and I expect that score to float upwards with time. Tasted January 2016.
This is very tender and pretty with very fine elements. Dried lemons, minerals and lilac as well as character of oyster shell and iodine. Full body, yet refined and long. You normally see this sort complex character in reds from Pessac-Léognan. Fascinating young white.
Sweet and rather oily start. Lots of weight. Could only be Pessac-Léognan - tant mieux! Big and beefy but not sweet. I admire this style - for food. Long, with an admirably dry finish.
Olivier Bernard rates his 2012 white as highly as his 2010, which is praise indeed. This
is certainly a delicious white blend, right up there with the best of the vintage, showing a
waxy, creamy, lees-derived texture, subtle, smoky oak and focused, refreshing flavours of
grapefruit, vanilla and fresh herbs. If you only buy one white wine from 2012, this should
be at the top of the list.
Drink: 2014-22
A gorgeous effort, the 2012 Domaine de Chevalier, made from a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon that reached 13.5% natural alcohol, boasts abundant notes of creme brulee, lemon custard, candle wax and oranges in its beautifully rich, honeyed personality. Great acidity gives laser-like precision to its component parts. Drink this full-bodied white wine over the next 2-3 decades.
Tasted from a barrel sample at en primeur. The Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has a reserved, stony nose that you have to be patient with - give it a few minutes and there are some subtle undergrowth scents that begin to emerge, hints of orange blossom and dried apricot. The palate is well balanced with a delicate touch of spice on the entry. This is very focused with good weight and it displays wonderful tension on the finish that offers a Burgundy-like texture. Wonderful. Tasted April 2013.
